[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] On the 6th, officials from the ruling People Power Party, the government, and the Presidential Office unanimously stated, "We must make every effort to overcome the economic crisis."
Lee Jun-seok, the party leader; Han Duck-soo, the Prime Minister; Kim Dae-gi, Chief of Staff to the President; and other senior officials from the party, government, and presidential office appeared in 'no-tie' attire at the 1st High-Level Party-Government Consultation held at the Prime Minister’s residence in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, that morning.
Besides Leader Lee, the People Power Party attendees included Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader; Sung Il-jong, chairman of the Policy Committee; Han Ki-ho, secretary-general; Song Eon-seok, deputy floor leader; and Heo Eun-ah, chief spokesperson. From the government side, Prime Minister Han was joined by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho, Director of the Office for Government Policy Coordination Bang Moon-kyu, Secretary to the Prime Minister Park Seong-geun, and from the Presidential Office, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Lee Jin-bok and Senior Secretary for Social Affairs Ahn Sang-hoon also attended.
During the informal talks, a warm and friendly atmosphere was created among the senior party-government officials. Prime Minister Han raised a drink and said to the group, "Today's issue seems to be unity," and proposed a toast, "When I say Yoon Seok-yeol government, please shout unity." When Prime Minister Han shouted "Yoon Seok-yeol government," the attendees responded with "unity," exchanging toasts left and right.
As the formal party-government consultation began, Leader Lee, who gave the opening remarks, delivered some harsh words by listing President Yoon’s discarded livelihood pledges. He mentioned the abrupt cancellation of the pledge to halt the increase in electric vehicle charging fees, which was part of the 59-second shorts pledges, without much explanation, and the lack of attention to the state prepayment system for child support in the national agenda.
He emphasized, "Many policies promised during the presidential campaign have yet to be effectively delivered," and added, "I believe the party and government must have the courage to speak uncomfortable truths." His point was that the omitted campaign pledges of President Yoon need to be discussed at the high-level party-government consultations.
Regarding the protest by disability groups during their commute, he said, "the government and ruling party responded in an abstract and emotional manner rather than actively, causing the issue to prolong," and criticized, "With fuel prices exceeding 2,200 won, citizens on Line 4 who have lost the option to commute by car must leave before 7 or 6 a.m., reducing time with family and increasing fatigue. For these people, this is the biggest livelihood issue."
He continued, "We must clearly distinguish between demands the party and government can accept and those we cannot. If disorder continues due to persistent unacceptable demands, the problem must be resolved in a way that the general public can understand, not just the amplified voices of a few," and added, "Neglecting this issue would make it impossible to differentiate ourselves from the previous administration."
Next, Floor Leader Kwon also gave remarks, stating, "The new government's philosophy and vision have not yet been fully reflected in economic policy. However, even if progress is made, it will take considerable time for the public to feel the effects." He added, "The public’s initial expectations for the new government have quickly faded amid soaring grocery prices, fuel costs, increased interest burdens, and rising gas and electricity bills. Failure to respond swiftly to the economic crisis will make it difficult to secure momentum for future governance."
Leader Kwon mentioned the People Power Party’s first bill, the 'Delivery Price Linkage System,' aimed at alleviating difficulties faced by small business owners and self-employed individuals, and noted the government’s decision to reduce fuel tax by the maximum 37%, despite bearing trillions in tax revenue losses. He stressed that both the public and private sectors must share the burden and said, "We must honestly explain the current situation to the public and actively appeal to share the pain together."
He added, "Our party has also launched a 100-day operation to ensure the success of the Yoon Seok-yeol government," and urged, "We must explore all policy measures, including budget reallocations and changes to fund operation plans, to stabilize prices," calling for swift responses to revive the livelihood economy and cooperation between the National Assembly and the government.
Prime Minister Han expressed agreement with Floor Leader Kwon’s appeal, saying, "Going forward, the party and government will become one team to support the successful governance of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration," and emphasized, "Regardless of the circumstances under which we inherited the economy, it is our responsibility to solve these problems."
He continued, "We will do our best to support vulnerable groups and ease living expenses by mobilizing all available means, including emergency repayment support payments. However, this will not be sufficient. In addition to short-term livelihood stabilization measures, we must tackle pressing issues such as regulatory reform and institutional advancement to enhance our growth potential and economic productivity in the mid to long term, even if it is painful," he urged.
He also said, "We will work to improve national productivity overall and address structural social issues to secure the future," adding, "We will communicate with the public and, furthermore, with the cooperation of the party, do our utmost to facilitate national discussions with both ruling and opposition parties."
Kim Dae-gi, Chief of Staff to the President, responded, "It seems it will be two months since the inauguration in four days. We have also felt many frustrations, but having this opportunity is very meaningful and significant," and said, "Leader Lee, Floor Leader Kwon, and Prime Minister Han have all made excellent remarks, and we fully agree with them."
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